He was the one who''d asked the front desk to put his room right next to Eleanor''s. "Have you eaten yet?" Xavier asked.


    Eleanor shook her head. "I just need to drop off my things. I''ll grab something in the dining room after."


    "Mind if I join you?" Xavier offered. He hadn''t eaten either.


    Dinner service was open-buffet style-until nine, so there was plenty of time.


    "Sure!" Eleanor replied easily. She didn''t mind at all. After putting herptop away in her room, she stepped out and joined Xavier, the two of them heading toward the elevators together.


    The elevator slid down from the fifth floor to the third and chimed as the doors opened. Standing inside were a man and a woman.


    Eleanor''s expression turned cold. Xavier caught the shift in her demeanor out of the corner of his eye. He turned ton. "Why don''t you two go ahead? We''ll wait for someone."


    Vanessa offered a gentle smile. "Xavier, Eleanor-what a coincidence."


    The elevator doors slid closed, cutting off their line of sight.


    Xavier leaned in and spoke quietly. "Want to take the stairs instead? The restaurant''s just one floor down."


    "Alright," Eleanor agreed, turning toward the stairwell.


    The stairwell lighting was soft. Xavier trailed behind her, hesitating a moment before speaking up. "Eleanor, you andn..."


    "We''re done. For good," Eleanor said calmly. "We''re just strangers now."


    Xavier nodded, sensing there was nothing more to ask.


    When they reached the restaurant, they ran inton and Vanessa again- apparently, they''de to eat too.


    Eleanor quickly grabbed a few dishes and imed a seat by the window. Xavier followed with his own te, taking the seat across from her. Henry soon joined them, grinning. "Mind if I join in?"


    Eleanor smiled. "Of course not."


    A momentter, Vanessa andn wandered over as well. Eleanor''s smile faded- she wasn''t thrilled to have them at the table.


    But there was nothing she could do; besides Eleanor, the others all belonged to the same circle.


    The five of them sat around a round table. Eleanor''s appetite faded with every minute.


    "The view here is stunning," Xavier said, trying to break the tension.


    Henry chimed in, "Yeah, it''s the perfect ce to unwind."


    After about fifteen minutes, Eleanor finished eating and excused herself.


    Back in her room, she stepped out onto the balcony to catch the ocean breeze. Her phone buzzed unexpectedly. A message popped up: "Can we talk alone?"


    Eleanor stared at the screen, her fingers tightening slightly. After a moment''s hesitation, she replied, "There''s nothing left for us to talk about."


    "Are you and Xavier together now?"n wrote back.


    n, we''re divorced," Eleanor reminded him bluntly.


    Her private life was none of his business.


    Tossing her phone onto the bed, Eleanor decided to ignore any more ofn''s messages. She stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.


    A faint sound drifted over from the neighboring balcony. Eleanor nced sideways —Xavier was leaning against the railing, a ss of red wine in hand.


    "Can''t sleep?" Xavier called over with a smile.


    She returned the smile. "Just wanted some air."


    Xavier swirled his wine. "Want a ss?"


    Eleanor declined politely. "Thanks, but I don''t drink."


    A few minutester, there was a knock at her door. Eleanor paused, then opened


    it out of courtesy.


    "Mr. Vaughn? Is something up?" She blinked at him.


    "Would you mind if I came in for a minute? There''s something I want to talk about," Xavier asked, his eyes earnest.


    Eleanor hesitated, then stepped aside to let him in. "Alright."